Katherine is a town in central Australia, where the dry season is hot and the wet season is hot and wet. The man at the heart of the "Katherine Outback Experience" trains problem dogs and horses so they can become useful and therefore more likely to survive. During the dry season he does this in a training ring on his property and in the wet season the show is taken on tour. Caitlin had seen the show in Katherine and recommended it so a couple of weeks back I went, with my girls, to the performance at a pony club on the semi-rural fringe of Sydney.
When the dogs had finished their routine, there was a call for a volunteer from the crowd to look after this very nervy pup, Winnie. Briony "the girl in the funky jacket" was chosen and Winnie stayed with us for the rest of the night.
This young boy was very keen to sit with her and spent quite a lot of time trying to remove a nasty thorn from her ear.
I have a better photo where he is sitting up more and his face is more visible but somehow it feels wrong to post an identifying picture of somebody elses child.
It was a lovely night in the outdoors with animals, country music and a very family oriented show.
Training problematic dogs and horses is a worthwhile endeavor, but I would be very cautious about children volunteering to take on the responsibility. How does the family know what suffering the animal had endured in its first home?
ReplyDeleteHels,
DeleteThe dog remained with the show. The little boy was just sitting with her during the evening.